CL Sites Updates

[JamesH]

I've noticed when reading the C&MC magazine that there are generally more site closures than new sites listed in the Directory Updates section.
Having nothing better to do this afternoon, I checked back on the last six months magazines and found that 48 sites had closed against 20 new sites that have opened. That's approximately twice as many closing as new ones opening and I don't think this trend is anything new.
Surprisingly there are the same number of pages in the new Sites Directory & Handbook as there were in the previous one.

 

[Hutch]

Hi James, I have bèen lòoking at Cl's and Cs sites recently and a one of my main criterias is a pub within a mile for nice food and a drink, but a lot of sites are not there, In my area, say 75 mile distance. Also if you like to have a bit of social interaction, a lot of folk seem to be lacking of this. In winter we prefer to be on hard standings and many cls dont have them. Electric cost go up, sad to see sites going, costs of cls going up as well .

 

[KeefySher]

There is a guy over on the CC / camc / wotever forum has produced this resource for serviced CL sites:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=17Ig4IykjXaE6lRoLLMJ1ek8ebz0&ll=50.95316876650777,-2.5569847292969143&z=9
Might be useful to others on here.

We need to support CL /CS. Staying on a CL (Field View) near Bristol at Easter that has gradually been invested in by the owner. Hedged off massive pitches, EHU, if a splitter is used the water taps become 'serviced' no need for the aqua roll, the entrance is compacted loadstone giving easy access. In the winter there are 2 HS pitches in the farm yard.

 

[Martin24]

We only really stay on CL's and CS's. One thing we have noticed, which won't help pitch fees is the over use of electrical gadgets. Kettles, toasters, awning heaters, electric cooking devices and the like make it more expensive for everyone. There's no such thing as getting your monies worth out of pitch fees, it just puts the pitch fees up. You also have all the other expenses that owners have to cover that people don't always consider. The cost of grass cutting, insurances, water rates for the business, rates increases. All the costs that we all suffer leads to an increase in costs. There are a fair few sites about with no ehu but they are usually a long way from full capacity because of the gadgets people can't live without. We only go on sites with ehu now because of needing to charge my wheelchair every night. We still use a gas kettle, the grill, oven and cadac are all on gas so we keep our impact to a minimum to try and help owners keep site fees down.

Lets hope that the tide turns at some point and a few more open up despite the costs involved in setting up offset against a far from large return.

 

[mealsonwheels]

There's nothing like a gas kettle to really give you that feeling you're camping and putting the kettle on early in the morning, for the first cuppa of the day, soon takes any chill off the van too. The only time we use an electric one is when it's very hot in the summer and we don't want the van to get any hotter, otherwise it's a gas kettle for us!

 

[otherclive]

We try and stay on CL/CS where possible and as long as they have EHU thats fine as we are self sufficient in everything else. One thing that we've never done is to put heating on overnight and yet when we stay on some sites (CL, or main) walking around the site past midnight you can hear the whirr of the circulating fans as the heating is on. Guess with Alde I don't hear so much from those vans. I also find it difficult to understand why some have awning heaters on. If its that cool go why not go inside and use the van's better insulation. Or better still visit the local ale house.

 

[Craigyoung]

Hi ,
we tend to use CL sites for the summer and normally Club sites or CL sites with hard standing when weather is poorer , when our awning is up we to have a heater that goes in the awning cause I think it is cosy to sit outside in the awning comfortable whilst the kids are inside watching their TV and settling down, that is like our space and if it's cold on a night time what is the problem with having the heating on ?, that's what it is there for is'nt it ? We use the same CL site at Leyburn at finghall , spruce Gill farm, lovely site ,
Lovely owners , £14 per night EHU , water, showers and toilets looking over the moors of Yorkshire , lovely views .

 

[Martin24]

And I expect you have a patio heater to keep warm outside at home. This is exactly the sort of thing that puts the site fees up for everyone. Luckily our children were brought up without a TV in the caravan and instead we all played board games or quiet activities such as colouring and crafts as a family. Mainly because we believe that family holidays should be time spent together as a family.

Round table :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[otherclive]

Hi ,
we tend to use CL sites for the summer and normally Club sites or CL sites with hard standing when weather is poorer , when our awning is up we to have a heater that goes in the awning cause I think it is cosy to sit outside in the awning comfortable whilst the kids are inside watching their TV and settling down, that is like our space and if it's cold on a night time what is the problem with having the heating on ?, that's what it is there for is'nt it ? We use the same CL site at Leyburn at finghall , spruce Gill farm, lovely site ,
Lovely owners , £14 per night EHU , water, showers and toilets looking over the moors of Yorkshire , lovely views .

Perhaps it's because we were used to camping but we've never felt cold in a caravan at night even in older poorly insulated caravans. We just use sleeping bags which invariably have the zips open and finish up as duvets. On getting up in the morning the heater quickly gets the van warm again.

 

[Dustydog]

CLs & CSs are usually run by smaller land owners to help supplement their income. Many are located in areas of outstanding beauty and working farms.
Adopting the "I've paid for it I'm going to use it" attitude will cause closure thus depriving the more considerate caravanner of yet another value for money pitch.
BTW I think you can still buy woolly warm jumpers

 

[Martin24]

CLs & CSs are usually run by smaller land owners to help supplement their income. Many are located in areas of outstanding beauty and working farms.
Adopting the "I've paid for it I'm going to use it" attitude will cause closure thus depriving the more considerate caravanner of yet another value for money pitch.
BTW I think you can still buy woolly warm jumpers

And fluffy lined crocs